Fruit cutting and pitting device



' Flqu'as 4 June 15, 1943. A. B. WAELTY 2,321,881

FRUIT CUTTING AND FITTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 1942 15 1; 4 1 [49 5 FIGURE! FI q URE; 2

INVENTOR mi BM 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 15, 1943 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFiCE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates particularly to a device for use in the cutting of apricots in halves in order that the pits may be removed therefrom.

It is one object of the invention to provide a simple and economically constructed means for rigidly supporting a pair of fruit-cutting knives with their cutting edges in opposed and angular relation to each other whereby fruit may be cut when forced between the same.

It is another object of the invention to provide a movable device of the nature indicated that comprises simply a pair of properly arranged fruit-cutting knives of standard construction with a suitable support therefor.

Finally, it is an object of my invention to provide a device of the character indicated that will be economical to manufacture, simple in form and construction, strong, durable, and highly efiicient in its practical application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the knife supporting face of the supporting block.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line-3--3 of Figure 2, a part being broken away.

Figure 4 is a detail illustration showing the relative position of the knives when placed in the holder, parts bein broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I show at I a base member, which consists merely of a board lying flat upon a supporting surface.

In the present instance the board I has a recess 2 cut in one end thereof to form a seat for a vertical supporting member 3 which is rigidly secured therein.

The outer face 6 of the upright member 3 has a vertical groove 5 formed therein, said groove having a depth equal to the thickness of the handle of a fruit-cutting knife and a width equal to the width of said handle, and extending from a point adjacent the bottom end of the member to the top end thereof as shown.

At 6 is another groove of the same depth and width formed in the member 3, and in face 4, and this groove communicates with the, top end of groove 5 and the top end of the member 3.

At 1 and 8 are two knives of the common fruitcutting variety, and these knives are joined to form a scissor-like instrument with their cutting edges 9 and I0 opposed to each other and with the blades crossed at their handle ends. At this latter end the back of one knife is forced a little way between the handle and back of the other knife as at H. The knives l and 8 so arranged at the proper angle to each other are then seated in the grooves 5 and 6 with the one knife I in a vertical position and the other disposed at an acute angle therewith as shown in Figure 1.

When the knives are seated in the grooves as described they are immovably held in position by the walls of the grooves and by a plate [2 placed on the outer face 4 of member 3. The plate I2 is held in position by means of bolts I3 passing through holes as 14 in the plate and member 3 and fitted with wing nuts [5.

To sharpen, or change the knives, it is only necessary to remove the bolts l3 and the plate l2, and lift the knives out of the grooves 5 and 6.

When the device is assembled as described the operator can use both hands in placing an apricot in the position shown in dotted lines at i6 and turning it far enough to enable the knives to cut the flesh to the pit all around. Furthermore this device enables the operator to work much more comfortably, and to cut and pit the fruit much more rapidly than where a single hand knife is used as heretofore.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that various alterations and arrangements in the details of construction and mode of application and assembly may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising, supporting means, an upstanding member fixedly mounted thereon, one surface of saidmember having grooves formed therein converging at the top thereof to form an acute angle, a pair of fruit cutting knives having their handles seated in said grooves and having their blades crossing at the top of said member with their cutting edges in opposed relation with each other, and a plate fixedly mounted on said surface of said member to secure said knife handles in place in said grooves.

2. A device of the character described comprising, a pair of opposed, separable, upstanding members and means operative to hold said members in fixed opposed relation to each other, said members having grooves formed between their opposing surfaces and converging at the top thereof to form an acute angle, a pair of fruit cutting knives having their handles seated in said grooves and having their blades crossing at the top thereof with their cuttin edges in opposed relation to each other.

ANGELICA B. WAELTY. 

